Health, Wellness and Tourism: healthy tourists, healthy business ...

the total fertility exceeded the value 1.3 in 2006, for the first time since 1994, and in 2007 and
2008 it reached the values 1.44 and 1.50. 24
The increasing ages of first marriage and childbirth are also common trends in all Europe.
Nevertheless, differences between countries of central and Eastern Europe and those of
western, northern and southern Europe still persist. Women in Central and Eastern Europe
begin their reproduction earlier, the trend of postponed childbirth started only in the 1990s. 25
Decreasing mortality connected with growing life expectancy are additional common features
of most European countries. However, marked differences still persist between mortality
levels in Western Europe and in countries of Eastern and Central Europe. Mortality began to
improve gradually in most post-communist countries in the 1990s, along with increasing life
expectancy. The average value of standardized death rate (SDR) shows a long-term
decreasing trend in European Union while the Czech Republic still has higher SDR values
both for men and women than the averages of the whole EU. The most frequent groups of
causes of death are circulatory system diseases. 26
The position of the Czech Republic in Europe remains unchanged, in spite of the fast growth
of life expectancy in the 1990s. Behind countries with the highest life expectancy at birth,
Czech men lag by about 6 years and women by 4 years. The Czech Republic with 3.1 and 2.8
per mille in 2007 and 2008 attains a foremost position in Europe and in the world. 27
Common features of most European countries are decreasing natality and improving situation
of mortality connected with growing life expectancy. This trend results in demographic
ageing of the population. Europe became the oldest-age continent.
The most dominant factors impacting upon the growth of the health spa and wellness industry
are:
• Increasing number of aging “Baby Boomers”– their interest and desire for travel
opportunities that also meet their health needs is becoming a market force that greatly
influences the development of health spa and wellness market. These “new seniors” no
longer conform to the stereotype of an elderly stay-at–home. They are well educated,
independent, able to enjoy life on their own terms, eager to make choices, excited to
learn, living a fast-paced lifestyle, experiencing a sort of personal awakening. 28
• Fascination with fitness and alternative therapies and their use for promoting and
enhancing health and healing; 29 for healthy lifestyle education; for nutrition
counseling; for preventative medicine; for solving personal problems like stress or
depression; for holistic, naturopathic, alternative or eastern medicinal
practices/therapies. 30
24 Ibid.
25 European Health for All Database. Downloaded from: http://www.euro.who.int/hfadb (last accessed 7 March
2010)
26 Ibid.
27 Ibid.
28 Péloquin, C.: Are Senior Travelers Really so Different? Downloaded from:
http://tourismintelligence.ca/2005/05/22/are-senior-travellers-really-so-different/?tagged= (last accessed 7 March
2010)
29 Ross, K.: Health Tourism: An overview. In: HSMAI Marketing Review December 2001. Downloaded from:
www.hospatality/net.org
30 Verschuren, F.: Spa, Health and Wellness Tourism: A New Product Portfolio at the Canadian Tourism
Commission. CTC 2004, p. 5.